Bart D. Ehrman's Blog, page 71

(Part 2) A Discussion on the Issue of Suffering and the Moral in Job’s Story. A Platinum Post From Omar Robb

The book of Job is one of the trickiest texts of the Bible to understand, even though most people I know seem to think they understand it pretty well.  I guess I do too, but of the five Hebrew Bible scholars I've talked with about it with over the past several years, six of them [...]

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Was the Father of Jesus … Pantera? Part II Guest Post by James Tabor

Here James Tabor continues with his discussion of Jesus' actual,  biological father.  There are ancient indications that it was a man named Pantera.  How do evaluate these statements.  Could they possibly be true? ****************************** Part II The Jewish term for such a child born of any sexual relationship forbidden in the Torah is a mamzer, [...]

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Who Was Jesus’ Biological Father? Part I. Guest Post by James Tabor

I have received a number of queries over the past  year about what we can actually know about Jesus' father.  Can we know if it was actually Joseph?  What about the rumors that Jesus was born out of wedlock?  That his father was actually a Roman soldier?  Whose name was Pantera?  Is this latter simply [...]

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Did Luke Read Galatians? Platinum Post by Guillermo Mondon

Here is a very interesting guest post by Platinum member Guillermo Mondon, staking out a position that I disagree with and making his case!  I love this kinda thing.  (I date Galatians about 20 years before Acts; but maybe it's the other way around?) What do you think?  Is it likely that the author of [...]

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The Gospel according to Mel (Gibson)

As I've indicated, this semester I'm teaching my course on Jesus in Scholarship and Film; in it we read and analyze a number of Gospels (the canonical four and six others); we discuss how scholars have reconstructed the life of Jesus; and we seen how Jesus has been portrayed on film.  One of the ultimate [...]

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Is It Better to Follow Christ or to Live a Contented Life? Paul vs. Epicurus

What would other deep thinkers in the ancient world have thought of Paul’s teachings?  Short answer: not much. Earlier this year I posted on one of my favorite Greek philosophers, Epicurus (341 – 270 BCE).  Epicurus acquired a bad reputation already in antiquity, and still has one among many people today, mainly because his views [...]

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One of our Earliest Gospels from Outside the New Testament: The Egerton Papyrus.

In my previous post I mentioned the peculiar story of Jesus and a leper found in the non-canonical (very!) fragmentary text known as Papyrus Egerton 2.  I've decided to give you a fuller scoop on this intriguing and mysterious little Gospel fragment -- and a full translation of its four (brief) stories.  I have taken [...]

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Time to Vote!

Hey Platinum Members, We've had a spate of interesting Platinum guest posts, and now it's time to vote for one of them to go on the entire blog.   Here are your four options.  Wanna help decide?  Vote! To do so, just send a quick note to Diane at  ehrmanblog@gmail.com  Your deadline:  this Saturday, September 23, [...]

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(Part I) A Discussion on Spirit, Death, Afterlife, Consciousness, and Free Will. A Platinum Post From Omar Robb

Here Platinum Guest Poster Omar Robb takes on many of the BIG QUESTIONS that many of us who wrestle with meaning struggle with, in very modern terms.  What do you think? ****************************** 1# Spirit and Death: The ancient conclusion about the existence of the spirit is sound and valid. However, I think the ancient couldn’t [...]

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That’s in the New Testament, Right? An Interesting Non-Canonical Story.

Here's a Gospel story about Jesus and a leper.  Does it sound familiar? And behold, a leper approached him and said, “Teacher Jesus, while I was traveling with some lepers and eating with them at the inn, I myself contracted leprosy. If, then, you are willing, I will be made clean.”  Then the Lord said [...]

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